Vending-machine.



B. M. DAVIS.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11. 1908.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

. l 7, ml 185,5 ep: 09 jz zvenffirz imndmd B. M. DAVIS.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11. 1908. 929,568. Patented July 27, 1909.

4 BHEETBSHEET 2.

B. M. DAVIS.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 11. 190a.

Patented July 27, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

FAW-

I I I 59 do 49 8 45 B. M. DAVIS.

VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION rum) JULY 11, 1008.

929,568. Patented July 27, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BETHUEL M. DAVIS, ()l" MORRIS, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH (l.('OLEMAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VENDING-MACHIN E Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 27, 1909.

Application filed July 11, 1908. Serial No. 442,873.

To all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that l, Bic'rni'in. M. Davis, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Morris, in the county of (irundy and State ofIllinois, have imented certain new and useful Improvements inVending-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more especially to a peanut vending machine; andthe principal object of the invention is to so construct and locate theactuating mechanism that the peanuts will be discharged from around theedge of the jar or receptacle rather than from the center thereof,whereby the mass of peanuts will be agitated during each discharge, sothat no portion of the mass of peanuts will be banked in the rece taclein such a manner as to remain undiscliarged for any considerable periodof time in the ordinary operation of the machine.

In certain previous constructions, the dis charge has been from thecenter of the mass, which tended to assume a funnel formation, whereby aconsiderable mass of peanuts around the edge of the receptacle remainedundisturbed so that it became necessary to refill the receptacle beforesuch peanuts had been discharged, with the result that the peanuts somassed and undisturbed had a tendency to become stale or rank.

The present invention contemplates a construction which employs arotatable pocketcd plate or carrier, which directly underlies the massof peanuts which fill into the pockets or receptacles around theperiphery of such carrier prior to a discharging movement, therebypreventing the formation of a funnel or vortex in the center of themass, and serving to agitate the mass with each movement of the carrier.

The invention further relates to the construction and arrangement of thecoin actuated mechanism, which carries the coin along in such a manneras to prevent scratching or mutilation of the coin; and is furtheradapted to detect slugs or tokens which are thrown into the coin box,without, however, actuating the mechanism, thereby preventing the returnof such slugs or tokens to the user for subsequent fraudulentmanipulation.

The invention further relates to the means employed for securing thecoin actuated mechanism to the eannt receptacle in such manner as topermit the entire coin mechanism to be exposed to view by lifting theupper portion of the machine from the base, which greatly facilitatesrepair or readjustment of the mechanism.

The invention also relates to the means employed for securing the coverto the receptacle, and to the machine as a whole and the individualparts thereof.

lhe invention consists in the features of construction and combinationof parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of the entire machine;Fig. 2 a side elevation of the upper portion thereof, showing the cap orcover in position; Fig. 3 an under face view of the cap or cover; Fig. 4an enlarged sectional detail, showing the method of securing the cap orcover to the glass receptacle; Fig. 5 a top or plan view of the top ringof the glass receptacle; Fig. 6 an under face view of the coin actuatedmechanism, in initial position; Fig. 7 a similar view, showing themechanism in discharging position; Fig. 8 a detail plan view of the roofof the coin trackway; llig. t) a detail plan view of the upper face ofthe swinging coin carrier, which co-acts with the trackway; Figs. 10, lland 12, sectional views, taken on the line of curvature lO-1t), shown inFig. (i; Fig. 13 a vertical section, taken through the base of themachine; Fig. 14- is a rear elevation of the machine, the top portionbeing cut away; Fig. 15 a plan view of the pocketed carrier and stirrer;Fig. 1.6 a plan view of the base. of the machine, with the coin actuatedmechanism removed; Fig. 17 a sectional detail, showing the clamp for thelower edge of the glass jar or receptacle; and Fig. 18 a plan view ofthe clam ping ring for the glass jar.

As shown in Fig. l, the machine a whole comprises a base portion 19, acasing 20 for the coin actuated mechanism, a glass jar or receptacle 2],and a cap or cover 22. The casing 20, which carries the coin actuatedand peanut discharging mechanism, is best shown in section in Fig. [3,and is of generally rectangular form comprising an outer front wall. 23,a rear wall 24, and side walls 2:"), although obviously the casing couldbe of circular or other formation adapted to contain the mechanism. Thecasing further comprises a flat top floor 26, in the center of which isa circular cup-shaped coucavitv 27, having a bottom 28 provided, nearits rout side, with a flanged discharge opening 28".

Inside the cup shaped concavity is located a rotary carrier 2!)provided, around its periphery, in the form shown, with six radiallyarranged flanges 30 which extend substantially up to the surroundingcircular wall of [he concavity, and furnish, in efi'ect, six pockets orreceptacles for the peanuts which enter said spaces from the mass abovewhich finds its floor on the bottom of the concavity, save only asregards the front portion thereof which is )rovided with a cut-off plate31 immediate y above the discharge opening 28, under which plate thellanges or spokes of the carrier are adapted to travel. The carrier isprovided with an upwardly extending stub shaft 32 which is enteredthrough a hole 33 in the plate 31, and said stub shaft has mountedthereon a stirrer, in the form of three radiating blades 34 which serveto agitate the peanuts as the carrier is rotated. The carrier is furtherprovided with an act-uating stub shaft 35, which asses through thecenter of the floor 28 and is s uared to receive a six-toothed ratchetwhee 36, between which and the floor 28 is loosely journaled the hub 37of a swinging coin carrier 38. The teeth of the ratchet wheel areprovided with actuating shoulders 36 and stop shoulders 36*.

The coin carrier 38 is in the form ofa curved plate having the are ofone-third of a circle, which curved plate is connected with the hub bymeans of spokes or arms 39. The coin carrier plate is of a size to swinaround the outside of the front portion of the curved wall of theconcavity 27, the arms or spokes being slightly offset to pass under thefloor of the concavity. The upper or acting face of the plate 38 18shown in Fig. 9 and is provided with a flange 40, which terminates at apoint near the end of the plate and is adapted to register with the coinslot 41 in the front of the casing, when the swinging )late is in itsinitial position. The end 0 the flange 40 is thickened to provide anouter lug 42 which cooperates with an inner lug 43, the two lugs beingso positioned as to engage the rear edge of a coin inserted through theslot, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 9. Immediately forward of thelugs 42 and 43, as regards the line of travel which is indicated by thearrow, is located a tapered pin 44, the point of which normally projectsupwardly through an opening 45 in the floor of the late, which pin isentered through a curved ever arm 46, best shown in Figs. (5 and 7. Thelever is pivoted, at its rear end, a short distance behind the pin 44,by means of a pivot pin 47, and the forward end of the curved lever armis provided with an upwardly extending tooth 48 which normal y projectsthrough an o ening 49 in the floor of the swinging plate eing held insuch 0- sition by means of a flat spring 50 secure( to the lower side ofthe swinging plate. The

swinging plate is provided with a depending flange 51, from whichoutwardly extends a handle 52 adapted to travel within a slot 53 in thefront of the casing, which handle occupies a position convenient ofaccess to the purchaser. The tapered pin 44 is adapted to be adjusted tothe proper position of projection and to be locked in such adjustedposition by means of a lock nut 54.

The swinging plate cooperates with a curved fixed plate 55, shown indetail in Fig. 8, which fixed plate occupies a osition immediately abovethe swinging p ate and has a curvature concentric therewith. The fixedplate 55, immediately overlies the swinging plate, a suflicient spacebeing provided between the two plates to ermit of the passage of thecoin carried by t e swinging plate or coin carrier,which space ismaintained by the contact of the flange 40 on the swing plate againstthe surface of the super-adjacent fixed plate, and by the contact of aninner flange 56 on the inner edge of the fixed plate against the surfaceof the swinging plate. The fixed plate is provided, at its rear end, asregards the travel of the coin (which is indicated by an arrow in Fig. 8with a lug 57 against which the upward y extending tooth 48 rests whenthe swinging plate is in position to receive a coin immediately abovethe spring supported pin 44, which, in this position of adjustment, willbe depressed below the level of the surface of the swin ing plateimmediately behind the lugs 42 an 43. Immediately in front of the lug 57is a hole 58 which permits the finger 48 to spring upwardly, whenreleased from contact with the lug 57, into osition to engage theforward edge of the iole 58 and lock the swinging plate or coin carrieragainst movement, save only when a coin of the proper size anddcnomination is inserted into position. Innuediately forward of the hole58 is a lower lug 59 which serves to engage the tooth 48 when the latteris moved past the hole 58; and the lug 59 serves to depress the tooth 48sufiieiently to permit the coin to ride under a tooth 60 without beingengaged by the tapered pin 44. The surface of the late 55 forming thetraekway for the coin, immediately to the rear of the beveled tooth 60,is given an oblique formation at the point 61, which Surface slopesinwardly to the base of the inverted tooth ($0. Laterally adjacent thetooth (i0 is a hat spring stop (32, the end of which projects through anopening 63 in the plate 55, which sprin is adapted to bear against andhold the coin against displace.- ment after it has reached a position adacent the base. of the tooth 60. A similar spring stop 64 is provided,which serves to prevent withdrawal of the coins by means of a string orwire.

()ne of the arms or spokes 39 of the swinging coin carrier has pivotedthereto a dog 65, provided with a finger (36 which receives the end of aspring (37 adapted to hold the end of the dog between the teeth of thewheel 36. Adjacent the dog is a cam 36 which engages a pin 36" on thedog and causes the latter, on its return movement, to spring backsufficiently to clear the stop shoulders of the teeth, which latternormally engage the dog in such manner as to prevent turning of thecarrier save by the action of the dog. The return movement of theratchet is prevented by a spring stop (35 which is secured to the arm 69of a bracket which carries the cam 36 and through which the end of thestub shaft is entered. The operation of the coin actuated mechanism isas follows:

The coin is inserted into the slot and occupies the position on thecarrier-plate indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 9, and rests beneath thefixed late at the point indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 8. In thisposition the coin will be engaged by the lugs 42 and 43 and overlie thepoint of the pin 44. In like manner the tooth 48, at the opposite end ofthe lever arm 46, will enga e the lug 57 so that the tapered pin 44 willbe held out of contact with the overlying coin. An initial movement ofthe swinging coin carrier will bring the tooth 48 into register with thehole 58, and the tooth will engage the edge of the hole, unless theinterposed eoin be of the proper denomination to actuate the machine. Ifthe coin be one of the proper denomination it will have a diameter justsutlicient to bridge the space between the spring stop (it and theinverted apex of the tooth (it) and be of a proper thickness to forceback the pin 44 a sutlicient distance to depress the tooth 48 andprevent its engagement with the edge of the hole 58. if a slug or tokenof less diameter than the intended coin be employed. the lugs 12 and l3,by their initial movement. will fail to carry the forward edge of theslug or token to the inverted apex of the tooth (it), so that the tooth48 will engage the hole 58, regardless of the presence in the machine ofthe slug or token. In like manner, the bevel of the plate 55, at thepoint. (31, is such that coins, slugs or tokens, instead of lying flatagainst the surface of the plate, will bridge the space hc tween theplate and the inverted apex of the tooth (it), at the same timemaintaining contact with the pointed or tapered end of the pin 44. Inthese circumstam'es, if a slug of paper or soft metal, like lead, beemployed, the tapered point of the pin will bend or pierce the slug. sothat the pin will not be depressed and the swinging plate. unlocked.

If a coin ol proper denomination be used, the tooth -18 will be helddepressed by the contact of the pin against the coin, which is heldcentered under the pin at all points in its line of travel, and thisdepressing of the tooth 48 will cause it to ride past the hole oropening 58 as the coin moves under the inverted apex of the tooth (30,thereby enabling the swinging plate or coin carrier to continue itsmovement, which causes the dog ('35 to engage one of the teeth of theratchet wheel and move around the rotary carrier until one of thepockets or divisions thereof, between adjacent flanges 30, is broughtinto re ister with the discharge opening 26, which allows the peanuts tofall into a chute Tl formed in the base of the machine, which chutedischarges into an open month 72 adapted to permit the insertion of thepurchasers hand. Simultaneously with the discharge of the peanuts, thecoin falls into a coin box 73. Slugs or false tokens which fail toactuate the machine are held in position between the spring 64 and theinverted tooth 60, and are carried forward by the next coin insertedinto the machine, so that such slugs or tokens will be collected in thecoin box and will not be returned to the user for further fraudulentmanipulation.

The casing for the mechanism is provided, at its forward lower edge,with a pair of cars 74 which are entered into a corresponding pair ofrecesses or concavities 75 in the front corners of the base portion ofthe machine, and thereafter the casing is dropped into place to bring adepending lug (6 on the back of the casln into register with a hole 77formed in a ange 78 outwardly extending from the rear edge of the base.The lug 7G is rovided with a hole adapted to permit the insertiontherethrongh of a padlock 79, which, when the parts have been assembled,as indicated, serves to lock them together. The flange 78, at its ends,is provided with a pair of slots 80 which are adapted to receive a pairof fingers 81 upwardly extending through a pair of forv'ardly extendingarms 82 which are con ncctod to a bracket 83 of Y formation, whichbracket is adapted to be secured to a wall, post or other structure. Thebase of the bracket has depending therefrom a lug Ht. which enters aconcavity S5 in the lower rca r edge 86 of the base, and the lug isprovided with a hole ST which registers with a hole R8 in the inner wallof the concavity, which arrangement permits insertion of a padlock 9!)through such registering holes, thereby locking the machine to thebracket and at the same time providing suitable points of support forthe machine.

The base, as a whole. comprises an upper section, which is dished in therear portion to provide the. floor of the coin receptacle 73, and istapered in the front portion to provide the chute 71. The upper portion,around its edge, is provided with a flange 90 which is adapted toreceive the edge ol the casing. which edge slightly overlies the flangewhen the parts are assembled. T be lower portion of the base, in itsfront, is

provided with a dish-shaped floor 91, the rear wall 92 of which isupwardly extended sufficiently to abut against the dished wall of thecoin rece )tacle 73. The latter is further supported y means of a rearcross wall 93 which registers with a lug 9-1 on the under side of thedished wall of the coin receptacle; and the two sections are inclosed bythe provision of side walls 95, the sections being held together bymeans of vertical tie rods 96 located at the corners. In order toprevent displacement of the side walls, the latter are provided withupper dowell pins 97, which pass through holes 98 in the margin of theupper section of the base, and similar lower dowell pins 99, enteredthrough holes, not shown, near the side margins of the lower section ofthe base.

The peanuts are contained within the glass jar or rece taele 21 which,in the form shown, is of cy indrical formation, bulged in its center 100and provided, at its lower periphery, with a flange 101, which restsupon a rubber washer 102 supported within a continuous channeled ring103, which is secured by screws 104 within a channel 105 formed on thetop of the casing. The glass flange 101 is held in position by means ofa split clamping ring 106, the sections of which are provided with ears107 through which are entered screws 108.

The jar or receptacle is provided, at its top, with a ring or collar109, against which the flared upper rim or margin 110 of the glass orjar abuts, and the ring or collar is secured to the glass jar by meansof a split clamping ring 111 which engages the periphery of the jarbelow the flared upper margin and is secured to the ring or collar bysuitable screws, not shown, entered through the ring or collar and intothe protubcrant lugs 112 in the split ring. The collar is provided witha channel 113 in its upper face, which channel receives the rim of thecap 22, which is provided, on its front side, with a air of obliquelyrejecting fingers 114, which enter into an ereut recesses 115 in thecollar, and the cover, in addition, is provided with a de ending lug116, whiclncnters a corresponding slot 117 formed in the lip 118 whichoutwardly rojects from the rear margin of the co lar. The depending lugis provided with a hole 119 adapted to receive a padlock 120.

The method of forming the base is one which permits ready access to thecoin receptacle, which occupies the upper ortion of the base structure;and the met 0d of securing the casing to the base and securing the baseto the wall or other supporting structure, is one which provides an easymeans of assembling or disassembling or re- 7 moving the various partsof the machine as a whole.

The method of securing the clamplng tremely simple and efiective'methodof detecting slugs or tokens, and at the same time prevents scratchingor mutilation of the coin during its travel to the coin box.Furthermore, the straight line of travel of the coin enables themechanism to be assembled very compactly and to be located at a pointeasy of access. By forming the ratchet wheel in the manner indicated,revolution of the pocket and carrier in either direction will eprevented, save only when the dog is thrown by movement of the swingingcoin carrier. This revents any one actuating the machine by insertingthe finger or a wire or other instrument into the discharge chute andturnin the commodity carrier without actuating t e dog. The dog servesboth as a lock against such fraudulent manipulation and as an actuatingmeans for effecting a discharge.

What I regard as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a vending machine, the combination of a swinging coin carrierplate adapted to receive and hold a coin and convey the same from itspoint of insertion to its point of discharge, a coin trackway adjacentthe swinging coin carrier, a catch for holding the swinging coin carriernormally locked,

means secured to and movable with the coin carrier and adapted to beengaged by the coin when positioned on the carrier for releasing thecatch, and means actuated by the movement of the coin carrier fordischarging a 'vendible commodity, substantially as described.

2. In a vending machine, the combination of a swinging com carrier plateadapted to receive and hold a coin and convey the same from its point ofinsertion to its point of discharge, a coin traekway adjacent theswinging coin carrier, a catch for holding the swinging coin carriernormally locked, means secured to and movable with the coin carrier andadapted to be engaged by the coin when positioned on the carrier forreleasin the catch, a rotatable pocketed member a 'apted to be revolvedby the movement of the swinging coin carrier, and a chute adapted toreceive a vendible commodity from one of the ockets of said member whenturned in discharging position, substantially as described.

3. In a vending machine, the combination of a movable coin carrieradapted to receive and hold a coin and conve the same from its point ofinsertion to its point of dis charge, a catch member mounted on saidcoin carrier, a stationary member adapted to be engaged by said catchmember for normally locking the coin carrier, means actuated by theinsertion of a proper coin when positioned on the carrier for holdingthe catch in releasing position, and a discharge member actuated by amovement of the coin carrier, substantially as described.

4. In a vending machine, the combination of a movable coin carrieradapted to receive and hold a coin and convey the same from its point ofinsertion to its point of discharge, a catch member mounted on said coincarrier, a stationary member adapted to be engaged by said catch memberfor normally locking -the coin carrier, means actuated by the insertionof a proper coin when positioned on the carrier for holding the catch inreleasing position, a rotatable pocketed commodity carrier adapted to bepartially rotated by a movement of the swinging coin carrier, and achute co-acting with the pocketed carrier for receiving the commoditydischarged from one of the pockets, substantially as described.

5. In a vending machine, the combination of a swinging coin carrier, alever pivoted to said carrier and provided with a tooth, and furtherprovided with a pin adapted to engage a coin when inserted, a cointrackway adjacent the swinging coin carrier and provided with anabutment adapted to be engaged by the tooth on the pivoted lever,

save when a coin of roper denomination is in engagement with t e pin,and a discharge member actuated by a movement of the com carrier,substantially as described.

6. In a vending machine, the combination of a casing, a commoditycarrier rotatably mounted within the casing, a swinging coin carrieradapted to actuate the rotatable commodity carrier, a catch membernormally adapted to lock the coin carrier in nonoperating)position, andmeans adapted to be engaged y an inserted coin for holding the catchmember in unlocked position and permitting a complete movement of thecoin carrier, for bringing the commodit carrier to discharging position,substantial y as described.

7. In a vending machine, the combination of a movable coin carrieradapted to receive and hold a coin and convey the same from its point ofinsertion to its point of discharge, a lockin member secured to andmovable with the com carrier and adapted to be moved and held inunlocking position by the insertion of a coin in position on the coincarrier, a stationary member adapted to be engaged by said lockingmember for normally looking the coin carrier, and a discharging memberactuated by a movement of the coin carrier, substantially as described.

BETHUEL M. DAVIS. lVitnesses:

E. VAINWRIGHT, JAs. W. PENN.

